TRAVEL MORE: 6 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION TIPS

Made a New Year's Resolution to travel more? You're not alone - every year, travelling is ranked amongst the most popular New Year’s resolutions. But what’s holding you back? Not enough leave? Not enough savings? Not sure where to go? Check out our top six tips to make your resolution stick and see you travelling more than ever before.

1. TURN 20 DAYS LEAVE INTO 49... OR MORE!

By strategically taking your time off around weekends and public holidays, our handy annual leave guide can show you how to maximise your holidays and turn 20 days of leave into 49 days or more (depending on which state or territory you're in). With shorter four and five-day breaks, perfect for escaping to the beach or the bush, as well as three week stints for trips overseas, “travel more” isn’t a resolution – it’s a lifestyle.

2. SMART GOALS

Whether your dream is to travel around the world or around Australia, it is vital to have a clear idea of what 'travel more' means to you. Does it mean taking more long weekend trips away, or does it mean quitting your job and backpacking for nine months? Creating SMART goals is a great way of getting your resolution in order.

S: Specific - Where do you want to travel to? With whom? When? How? Do you want hang out a resort, or go cruising, or hike up mountains with a tent on your back?M: Measurable - So you can compare it to this year, how much did you travel last year? Are you measuring in number of cities or countries you want to visit, the amount of time you want to spend away from home, or some other measure? A: Achievable - Will you have the time and resources to travel the way you want? How much do you need to save to make your resolution a reality?R: Relevant - Why is this travel more goal your resolution? Why is travelling important to you?T: Time-based - Give yourself deadlines. When do you need to have saved up by? When do you need to have booked your flights by? When do you have to be on that return flight home?

Specific goals are much easier to reach than wishy-washy ones! Not sure where you’re headed or want to visit the road less travelled? Why not check out our travel guide destination pages at the bottom for inspiration.

3. CREATE A TRAVEL SAVINGS ACCOUNT

Once you know how much you need, a good idea is to designate a savings account for your trip, and direct debit a transfer each pay cycle. Putting aside $50 a week will save you a whopping $2600 a year – nice one!

4. SWITCH LITTLE HABITS AND SAVE

Are there little things you can live without? A $4 coffee before work might not seem like a lot, but it adds up to more than $1,000 a year. Depending on when and which airline you fly with, that can get you to Bali twice or all the way to Los Angeles!

Whether you’re trading in bought lunches for packed ones, cutting down your Uber habit, or swapping the car to walk to work, it’s important to transfer the little savings into your travel savings account – otherwise they might get gobbled up on a night out or on that new gadget or outfit.

5. CONSIDER A WORKING HOLIDAY

Want to really get to know a place but don’t have the budget? Why not consider a working holiday, where you receive a place to stay and often meals with a local family? Popular sites like Workaway, HelpX or Hippohelp advertise opportunities from all over the world – babysitting and tutoring kids in Chile, building a website for a small business owner in Jordan, helping out on the farm in Hungary – the possibilities are endless.

6. GET ANNUAL TRAVEL INSURANCE

A frequent traveller aka annual travel insurance policy is a great way to encourage you to see more of the world or more of Australia, because the more you travel, the more you save. Zoom's annual travel insurance lets you leave home on as many trips as you like in one year, and comes in either 15 or 45-day maximum trip durations.

BOOST YOUR OTHER RESOLUTIONS

Travel isn't at the top of your New Year's Resolution list? Booking that travel reservation can help you work on other popular resolutions too!

Save money

Get healthier

Get that step count up in the great outdoors - swimming in crystal-clear waters, hiking up mountains, or just exploring the marketplace. And trying fresh, local cuisine can open up new things to try cooking at home.

Learn a language

Giving yourself a goal - say, visiting France at Christmas - can definitely help you stick to your language-learning goals.

Popular Destinations

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